L'amour de Dieu

Bonjour everyone!

Today starts our last week here, which is, I think, pretty bittersweet for the both of us. This past week has flown by. We were able to have our last dance class with Anne yesterday. It was great! She's a very sweet woman, whom we are going to try and keep in contact with. She asked us if we could write her when we returned to the States. And we said, yes of course we could. Then she got excited about writing us back. So it's cool that we have been able to make this friendship here, and that we have the opportunity to continue it.

We had our last Bible study tonight. I think it has gone well. I started it hoping that students would kind of take off with it. I didn't want to be the one to talk the whole time. So we have been going through the book of Colossians, a chapter each week. I have learned so much from just being able to listen to the ideas and thoughts and questions of the students. I hope that they have also learned, and yet as I'm writing that, I don't think that it's necessary that we "learn" something each time. I think that the discussion itself can be sacred and holy.

I wanted to share one or two of the ideas/thoughts that we have discussed that have really touched me. Colossians 2:13b-15 says: "He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross." This is such a powerful image of Christ's love for us. When we were talking about this, we were talking about the fact that God sees everything; our mean thoughts, our sinful desires and lusts, our hurtful actions, our hurtful ignorance, everything. He sees all of the things that we wish to hide from everyone, including those closest to us, because we're so afraid that they won't love us any longer or because we're afraid of what they will think of us. And yet, God sees all of it and still nailed them along with His son to the cross. God sees these things and loves us deeper and stronger.

As we were discussing this, I started thinking about the fact that, as far as I can tell, one of the deepest desires of a woman is for a man to know everything about her, good and bad, happy and sad, clean and unclean, and yet for him to love her deeper and stronger as He finds out all of these things. We desire to be fully known and yet fully loved. This is God's love for us. Our deepest desire is fulfilled in Him. This for me was a startling realization. I mean I've heard all my life that Gd loves me (and I've believed that all my life), but not until that discussion did the true force of it hit me. He knows everything, absolutely everything, and yet loves me more with each disappointment, with each unkind thought, with each unthoughtful act.

Something we discussed tonight in chapter 4 was part of verse 12, where Paul writes, "He is always wrestling in prayer for you, that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured." We were discussing the fact that how awesome would it be if that is how each of us were praying. If each time we spent time in prayer with God, we were wrestling in our prayer that our friends, our family, our brothers and sisters in Christ would stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured. We discussed that a lot of times in today's culture, we pray for people's health, that so and so would be able to find a job, that so and so would be safe while traveling, etc. And don't get me wrong, those are definitely things that we should pray about it. But how much more awesome would it be, if we were, first of all "wrestling" in our prayers for each other, and second of all praying that first and foremost, we would stand firm in all the will of God. Mature. And fully assured. This verse just made us think about how we were praying for other people and how we were desiring to be prayed for.

So tonight, my prayer for you is that I hope that God will reveal to you the extent of His love, the deepness and strength of it. And I pray that you are all standing firm in the will of God, mature and fully assured.

That is our prayer request this week. Please pray for both Amber and I, for each of the full time staff here (Elvira, Pia, Danielle, and Steve), and for the students that are here or have been here. Pray that we would stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured, both here in France in our remaining time here, and also when we get home, and especially when we get back into whatever routine it is that we find ourselves getting wrapped up in.

We love you!

Katie

fidélité

Bonsoir tout le monde!

Sorry it's once again beena little while since we've posted an update. and forever since I have joined in on the posting. The internet here has been flaky for the past week but we think it's finally been all fixed up.

This was a very busy week once again with course finishing and packing and goodbyes to be said. The third group left this morning, bright and early around 5:30 am. For some reason, I thought it would be a good idea to get up and tell them goodbye so my day started pretty early, but of course I went back to sleep after they left for a couple more hours. The exitement really started when I was getting ready to start the dishes and they come running saying, get ready, we need to send you to Paris because one of the students forgot their bag. So I went to Paris today. A little running around with a big suitcase and some close calls, but all in all God made it happen and everything fell into place perfectly. All of the students made it on their way with their luggage (at least when i last saw them) and none had to pay overweight charges.

this all goes to say how much recently I've seen God with a hand in what I'm doing here or coming up in my life. or in every little thing from moment to moment. At times it is very easy to forget how He is watching every moment to belay fears or worries and guide our hand and words and thoughts. This summer has been a struggle for me with faith and understanding and fear of the future and what is going to happen. I had a friend last fall who gave me a devotional book called "Jesus Calling" which has really helped me recognize areas in my life where my focus may have failed or I have left fear take control of my actions. I want to share with you all one of my devotions from this past week that has really helped my regain some of my focus on God and giving him control:

• Bring me all your feelings, even the ones you wish you didn't have. Fear and anxiety still plague you. Feelings perse are not sinful, but they can be te,ptations to sin. Blazing missiles of fear fly at you day and night; these attacks from the evil one come at you relentlessly. Use your shield of faith to extinguish those flaming arrows. Affirm your trust in Me, regardless of how you feel. If you persist, your feelings will eventually fall in line with your faith. Do not hide from your fear or pretend it isn't there. Anxiety that you hide in the recesses of your heart will give birth to fear of fear/ a monstrous stepchild.... Concentrate on trusting Me, and fearfulness will gradually lose its foothold within you.

There have been so many fears to face traveling to a new country: travel stress and safety, language barriers, lack of communication, and just being away from good friends and family for an extended period of time. I have faced these challenges before with no issue so didn't feel there would be a problem with just 3 months in france. It's not the other side of the world, don't have to worryelectricity or any other day to day needs. But there has been a big battle of satan saying that I should be scared about obnoxious things like whether or not i will even make it back to the states or have a place to live when i get there. In the past few days, I have seen God provide in more ways than I can imagine serving as another reminder for the next time i fear somthing ridiculous, or not, that God is taking care of me even if it means waiting another day or two. 

We have an opportunity everyday here to recognize God's beauty in our surroundings and the people that have surrounded us. God has blessed us with new friendships and also time to relax in his presence. Please pray for us in our last two weeks here that we take advantage everyday of the moments he gives us to praise Him whether it is while we're doing the dishes, worshipping in church, cleaning a toilet, taking a walk on the beach or just having a conversation about what to make for dinner. Pray for our conversations, that we will use the time we have wisely and do not focus on the lack of time we have but instead enjoy everyday.

There have been some changes about the house as well and we seem to have gained another intern in the past 24 hours! Her name is Diana, and she was a student with Track C and is now staying on to help the institute. please keep her in your prayers and she adjusts to the change in responsibilities over the next couple of days. Also, with track C leaving there are only 6 people left in the house. This has already affected the sleeping habits of the students and the dynamics of the house. Please pray for Katie and I as we also adjust to the change in number and the difference in relationships that may develop with less people.

Katie has her third bible study tomorrow night and the person who had been helping out with the music is one of the students who went home. Please keep her in your prayers as she prepares for the discussion tomorrow night and thinks on how she would like to handle worship.

and thank you all, whoever you lay be, for taking the time to read my ramblings this evening. some of this has been weighing on my heart for awhile and I'm glad I was able to share it with you. Good things are happening here in France with this ministry and the new relationships the institute has formed through opportunities they have had this summer. Praise for the neighbors that have become buddies for the students as well as the neighbor across the street who helped provide housing for a professor for a month this summer.

love you all! have a splendid sunday!! (cause it's already sunday here)

-Amber

La tarte de pommes

Hello everyone!! Sorry we haven't updated, again, in a while. The internet has been in and out here, so we haven't had enough time with it to update. Last week was a busy week for us. Amber and I are working on some new projects for the Institute, some research and things of the like. Also last week we organized a small party for Bastille Day, July 14. (France's Independence Day, sort of.) Amber decided on what to cook for the party and then did the cooking! She made apple pie! It was amazing! :-) I decorated the dining room in festive flags, streamers, etc. We enjoyed doing it a lot, because some of the students were sad that we didn't celebrate the 4th of July. So this was a kind of 4th of July celebration for them. (It was just for France's day instead.)

I have now had two Bible studies since we last updated our blog. And I think both times went really well. I was pleased. I hope the students were as well. I had decided before hand that I just wanted the students to be able to initiate and kind of "drive" this study. So I chose for us to go through the book of Colossians, a chapter every Sunday night. We just sit, read, and discuss the verses. It's amazing for me to be able to just kind of facilitate and sit back and see where the conversation takes us. The students are amazing at sharing their thoughts and questions about the verses. I, myself, have learned so much about these verses, just by hearing the different ways that people understand these verses.

Prayer requests this week are for all of the students as they are finishing up their courses and are working hard on final projects and papers. Also, please pray as some new relationships have opened up for the institute through the students and through this program. Please pray that God would just go before the institute in these relationships and would just work in the hearts of these new friends. Also, please pray for the group C students as they leave Saturday morning to return home. Please pray for safe travels for all of them.

We love and miss you all!

Katie

Les Chateaux!

Bonjour everyone!! I hope that you have all had a wonderful fourth of July holiday! I'm sorry that it has taken us so long to update you!! We have had a busy week, but it's been a great week! The full-time staff here was gracious and generous and gave Amber and I three days off to travel! We were so excited!! There was a lot of work to be done beforehand, but we finished it and were able to be gone for three days. We decided to travel to the Loire Valley for a day or so and then head up to Paris. On Thursday, we took a train down to Tours and then another train over to Chenonceau, which is in the heart of the Loire Valley. We stayed at a hotel right outside of the Chateau (castle) of Chenonceau. On Thursday night, we just walked around and enjoyed the small town that we were staying in. It was very quaint and very French (obviously). On Friday morning, we got up and walked over to the castle and spent a couple of hours there. It was beautiful!!! I guess the most famous story behind this castle is that King Henry II gave it to his mistress, Diane de Poitiers as a gift. After King Henry II's death, his wife, the queen Catherine de Medici, took back possession of the house from Diane de Poitiers. Here is a picture of the Chateau de Chenonceau.

The next photo is of Amber and I from one of the balcony's in the house with the tower that reminded my of Rapunzel in the background.

After Chenonceau, we hopped on a bus and went to the city of Amboise to visit the Chateau Royal d'Amboise (the royal castle in Amboise). This castle was the royal residence for King Charles VIII and Francois I, which was during the late 15th century and the early 16th century. Within the gates, there are a few buildings that are still standing. However, this royal residence used to be a lot bigger. Leonardo Da Vinci's tomb is in the small chapel that still stands on the grounds. Here is a picture of the Chateau Royal d'Amboise.

After that, we walked over to visit Leonardo Da Vinci's house. This house was given to Da Vinci from King Francois I. This is the house that he lived in for the last three years of his life. Francois I and Da Vinci were good friends. From his bedroom window, Da Vinci could see the royal castle.

Here are a couple other photos of us on our mini-trip!

After visiting the Loire Valley, we hopped on another train and headed to Paris! One of the students that was here at the beginning of the summer was staying in Paris, so we were able to stay with her and hang out with her for awhile! We really only had Saturday to do stuff in Paris. So we slept in (of course, what else would we do with vacation time?), got up and went to the modern art museum called Centre Pompidou, and then we decided to just be Parisian, rather than be tourists. So we walked around just enjoying being in Paris, shopped a little, and had a long dinner at a café. It was wonderful and just what we needed, I think. It was nice to not be running off to see how many things we could visit while in Paris. We've seen them once and will hopefully see them again in our lifetimes, so we just wanted to enjoy being in Paris. :-) I will say that visiting the castles made me feel like a little girl again. It felt as if we were in the "foyer" of some fairy tale. Being in the castles made it seem as if we were almost in a fairy tale but not quite all the way there yet. It was wonderful!

Sunday afternoon, we returned to the institute and to work. It's been a good week getting to know the new group of students as well as getting to spend more time with the students that have been here for a couple of weeks now. Amber and I both have new projects we are working on for the full-time staff, data entry and some research work. Both of these projects will help the full-time team with the ministry throughout the year, not just this summer. So we are happy to invest our time in these projects to help further, and ease, the work of the ministry and the team. I'm also going to be starting a Bible study with the students this coming Sunday night. I'm really excited and a little nervous. It will be in English, because the students have 5-6 other opportunities to worship in French. When I was here, I remember wishing that there was at least a couple of opportunities for me to worship in English.

Prayer requests:

We are extremely grateful and thankful for the time off and the opportunity and ability to travel! It was a wonderful adventure! We are also thankful that the group B students arrived home safely at the beginning of this week!

Please pray for the students as they are in the middle of their classes and as they continue to get to know each other and interact with one another. Please pray for the Bible study this Sunday night, just that God would work through me and the study in whatever way He sees is best.

Also, today is July 7th, which means we have about a month left of our time here. This realization is very bittersweet for us!

We love and miss you all!

Katie